I was given Zanaflex at the Pain Management Clinic I go to. I took it for three months and it really helped with sleeping and feeling relaxed the next day. When I was prescribed Zanaflex I was referred to the Fibromyalgia Clinic with in the hospital network that I use. Because my insurance doesn't recognize Fibromyalgia as a disease they would not cove any part of the cost.
(The clinic has different classes that is to help you deal with the pain and give you support.)
Therefore I had to go to my Primary Care Dr because I was almost out of the Zanaflex. She said I could not keep taking it because it was not for long term use. I am now on Trazodone, it works much better than amitriptyline, but the Zanaflex worked the best.

Hi MariK,
I take Zanaflex too and it's great. It works well for the fibro just as you said. Can you not go back to the pain clinic? Have the doc to prescribe it for muscle spasms instead of for fibro for insurance purposes? Sometimes we have to go around the red tape and make things happen.
Good luck,
Tommie
PS. Them using the Trazodone discounts what FMS is, I think. It says it's a psych illness when it's not. It's a very real physical illness, don't take their crap. Your doc and others need to write to that Ins. Co. and give them the what for's. lol

I take Zanaflex as well. It does nothing for my fibro, but it does make me sleepy enough to get some longer periods of rest. (I never sleep longer than 3-4 hrs at most)

I'm rather disgusted at the one insurance company mentioned!!! The idea that they don't see Fibro as being a legitimate illness just floors me. They're pretty ignorant if they don't know that Fibromyalgia has been officially recognized by the AMA and other major healthcare experts? Maybe they think the world's flat, too!

I tried Zanaflex and Skelatin and it did not help my fibro at all.

After trials of several other muscle relaxants for my leg spasms my rheumatologist ordered Zanaflex and it is a tremendous help. I take 8mg at bedtime which helps with sleep and the pain and I can take one during the day if I am having spasms in my legs and it helps alot. It is the olny thing that has.

I take 8 mg at bedtime and it seems to help with the spasms and helps me sleep. I sometimes take 4mg during the day if I really need it. It is stronger than flexril and seems to help me more. It's amazing that flexril in the past would totally knock me out, but my pain level made it useless. Talk to your doctor.

I personally have not been prescribed zanaflex but my sister was. She had it for migraine preventive. The only warning I would give is to make sure nothing else interacts with it. The night she died she had been to the doctor earlier in the day and they prescibed her skelaxon and told her not to mix them. I don't know for sure and won't know for months but I think she forgot and took both and was not breathing the next morning. Like I said not sure if that was it or not but just everyone be careful

I have used Zanaflex for quite some time with good success. It really helps in combination with other medications like Lyrica and Celebrex. I haven't had any side effects from it.

I WONDER WHY SOME DR.S SAY SHORT TIME USE AND OTHERS HAVE BEEN ON IT FOR AWHILE.MY XANAX SAYS RECOM. FOR SHORT TIME USE BUT I'VE BEEN ON THEM FOR AOBUT 10 YEARS....IF IT WORKSCAN'T WE TAKE IT FOR AWHILE AND RESTART LATER, LIKE AFTER A WEEK???HELEN

BUMP